Samsung unveils Wave 578, its newest Bada phone

Samsung unveiled its new Wave 578 smartphone at Mobile World Congress on Monday, and the entry-level handset is the latest to feature the cell phone maker’s proprietary Bada mobile operating system. Beyond building smartphones that run Google’s Android OS and Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 platform, Samsung also maintains its own operating system called “Bada.” While Samsung has not given Bada much of a presence here in the U.S., devices carrying the OS have been quite popular in other markets. The Wave 578 looks to build on that success by including an NFC chip in the device alongside a 3.2-inch WQVGA touchscreen display, a 3.2-megapixel rear camera, a secondary front-facing camera for video chat, HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and push notification support. “With the Samsung Wave 578 handset, we will provide the latest innovation in mobile industry running on bada platform,” Samsung president J. K. Shin said in a statement. “The enhanced connectivity, design and social experiences enabled by this handset, represent Samsung’s commitment to democratizing the smart phone market and providing users around the world with access to rich experiences and content.” The Samsung Wave 578 will begin rolling out in May in Europe and other markets, and it is not expected to launch in the U.S. Hit the break for Samsung’s full press release and Wave 578 specs.

Samsung unveils the Samsung Wave 578 handset to enhance connectivity, design, and social experiences

Samsung Wave 578 is equipped with Samsung’s bada platform, NFC connectivity, and lightning-fast Wi-Fi

BARCELONA, February 14, 2011– Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the Samsung Wave 578 at Mobile World Congress 2011. The new bada handset is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, a sleek, user-friendly design, and runs on bada, Samsung’s own smartphone platform.

“With the Samsung Wave 578 handset, we will provide the latest innovation in mobile industry running on bada platform. The enhanced connectivity, design and social experiences enabled by this handset, represent Samsung’s commitment to democratizing the smart phone market and providing users around the world with access to rich experiences and content,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.

Connectivity & Speed
Samsung Wave 578 is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) – a technology that allows users to enjoy many innovative services such as mobile payment at the shops and paying transportation fare, reading tags, getting mobile coupons, etc.

Users can enjoy the fastest connectivity available on the Samsung Wave 578. With Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, and USB 2.0, the device enables fast data rates and easy information sharing.

Sleek Design
With soft rounded edges that support an ergonomic grip and a sleek metallic body, the Samsung Wave 578 is comfortable to hold and fashionable in every social situation. The device does not compromise function for form and offers the best of both worlds with a sleek design and value-added features.

The QuickType by t9 Trace is two to three times faster than standard typing and supports more than 75 languages. It will deliver a more convenient typing experience while reducing input error. The Samsung Wave 578 is also equipped with multi-touch functionality so that users can easily zoom in and out and pinch the screen to browse and view the gallery.

Enhanced Social Experiences
A rich communication suite (RCS) supports a wide variety of social communication on the Samsung Wave 578. Users can share content while chatting on the phone or send messages to several friends at the same time. The experience on the device is further maximized through SNS (social networking service) integration that seamlessly connects contacts across various social outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, so that users can focus on the people who matter most. Push IM enables users to access messages anywhere and anytime on the Samsung Wave 578.

Samsung Apps, an integrated application store accessible from the device and online, allows Wave users to simply and easily download an abundance of applications. Featuring a wealth of games, navigation, social networking, e-book, health and lifestyle applications, Samsung Apps gives users instant access to a wide range of mobile experiences on the Samsung Wave 578 handset.

The Samsung Wave 578 will be available in May of 2011 in France and will be gradually rolled out to European countries, CIS, South East Asia, India, Middle East, and China.

The Samsung Wave 578 will be on display at Hall 8, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. For multimedia content and more detailed information, please visit www.samsungunpacked.com/press.

Network	HSDPA 3.6Mbps 900/2100 EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
Display	3.2” WQVGA TFT LCD
Camera	Main(Rear): 3.2-Mega Pixel Camera Front: VGA
Video	Codec : MPEG4/H263/H264 Playback : QVGA @ 30fps Recording : QVGA @ 20fps
Audio	Music Player with SoundAlive EQ, Music Recognition 3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS
Value-added Features	Samsung’s Smartphone Platform ‘bada’ 1.1
	Samsung Apps (*Availability of Samsung Apps differs by country)
	Samsung TouchWiz
	Social Hub – Integrated Contacts, Integrated Calendar, Unified Inbox – Basic: POP3/IMAP Email & IM
	Push IM : Yahoo! Messenger IM : Google™ Talk, Facebook Chat
	Exchange ActiveSync
	QuickType by t9 Trace
Connectivity	Bluetooth® technology v 3.0 USB 2.0 HS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n NFC (* adoption is according to market situation)
Sensor	Proximity, Accelerator
Memory	100MB + microSD (up to 16GB)
Size	107.9 x 54.9 x 12.5mm, 99.8g
Battery	1200mAh Talk Time : 2G 750 min / 3G 410 min Standby Time : 2G 700 hour / 3G 500 hour

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.